Animal hutch



Allg 9 1932 L. MERlAUx 1,870,957

' ANIMAL HUTCH Filed March 4, 1951 T FRUIT MQ@ i/f? Q l /2 f\ 53 g ATTORNEY'.

Patented Aug. 9, 19?2V -i-JNITED 'si-*Ares Parser Fries 'i LUCIENMERIAUX, or cULvER CITY, CALIFORNIA y ANIMAL HUTGH This inventionrelatesto an improved rabl furnished with improved means for lzeepingfthe same cool` duringhot, sunshiny weather. Another object of theinvention is Vto pro-Y vide a hutch so constructed that a portionthereof may vconveniently be embedded vin the earth thus providing aspecially cooled compartment which will-simulatethe burrow which theanimal would make and in which it would bring forth its young in thenatural wild state. i Still another object of the invention is toprovide improved means for supplying the feed and cleaning'out the feedreceptacles so that the feedis kept in a sanitary condition and iseconomically supplied to the animals. Y Among other objects of theinvention is the provision of the improved means for ventilatingthehutch in yorder to supply the ani-v mals with plenty of fresh airwithout eX# posing them to chilling drafts. Y g Yet another obl'ect ofthe invention is to cut down cost of yconstruction and prolong.

the life of the movable parts of thel device by providing closureelements of an improved character thereby avoiding the use of the doorsordinarly used in the housing devices hitherto in use for animals.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may hereinafterappear. l Referring to the accompanying drawing 10 which illustrateswhat 1is at present deemed to be alpreferred embodiment ofthe invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete construction. Fig. 2 is an endelevation looking from. the left to the right of Figs. 1 and 3, thecentral Y portion of therhutch being broken4 away to contract therview.Vs Y 'Y Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Y .V

Application sied March 4, 1931. serial No. 519,942.

l Fig. 4 is a verticall section on line 1n-f Fig. 3.

Y Fig. 5 .is al sectional detail .of the slidable.

roof member.

vFig. `6 is a fragmental innerface view of a portion of the front wallofthe structure illustrating the feed openings.

Referring in detail-to the drawing, the hutch comprises two sections, amain upper "section and a lower section 8,. the latter section being, ifdesired, to a greater or less eX- tent embedded in theearth.- Asillustrated 1n the drawing, the upper section 7 is maintained slightlyelevated above the surface of the groundby means of four smallV supportsor foot members 9, 9 and 10, V10; while the rear section `8 is,throughout its lower portion, contained within an excavation 12 providedtherefor. It will be understoodhow ever, that by'providing posts to takethe place of the supports 9 and 10, the rear or lower section 8 may restupon the surface of the ground, whilev the `upper .section is maintainedata considerable distance thereabove; yAny suitable door opening orpassage may be provided to aifordcommunication between the sections 7and 8. In the drawing the back wall 15 of the section Vvf7 is shownprovided with a hole 16 which is provided with a slidingdoor 17 f yThefrontvsection 7is provided with a floor 18 which desirably slopesforwardly as shown, and which is provided near its front edge with anelongated opening y19 to lpermit the droppings to escape, a screen guardor apron 20 being placed below this opening to prevent the animals frompassing out therethrough. The section 7 is provided -with an uprightfront wall 21 whichl is shown provided with a round feed opening 22 andan elongated feed opening 23. In front of the round openmiy oaf l ing 22is showna feed-supporting 'platform f 24'and a food container 25 which.is adapted to contain the feed supported by the platform 24. Saidcontainer 25-is preferably formed of sheet metal having the back portion26 'and the end portion 27. Each of the end p'ortions 27 is pivotallysupported at its upper inner corner at 27a-thus allowing the `containertoV be swung'upwardly and outwardly when itis .ill

desired to clean 0E the platform 24. An inclined grating or series offeed bars is provided within the container 25, the upper ends of thesebars extending through a header 25a which is attached to the wall 2l. Bythis constructionV a manger is provided having an open top into whichfeed of a grassy nature may be placed and which the rabbits-or otheranimals within the hutch may reach between the bars 30.

In like manner the elongated feed supported atv its front endor side bya cleat 7c and at its rear side by acleat 7 cl. "The screen cover member7b is placed on the' lower side of the frame thereof thus providing abroad shallow container upon which feed, prefer-l ably of a 'grassynature, may ben placed, the meshes of the screen beingsufflciently largeto permit the animals to have access to the grassy'material supportedupon the screen. When it Iis not necessary to use the upper cover member7 a to protect the animals from hot sunshinev or inclement weather, thesame may be removed and air VVtherebymorefreely ad# mitted to theinterior of the upper compartment 7. Y y

` Describing rmore in detail the construction y ofthe lowercompartment'S, this part of the device is provided with aboX-lilreVstructure which `is of a removable character and which has the sidewalls 42, abottom 43, a short end Wall 44 at one end,and at the yotherend an end wall 4 5 which extendsv .up above the top ofthe sides 42 andwhich 'preferably is constructed with some kind of a `finger hold torender the whole box .structure more easily removable. At the-end fofthis box arrangement which is V'opposite-to the wall 45, aplatformf47 isprovided which forms a step or rest for the animals. At the opposite`end of the Vchamber A a 'platform 49 Ais provi-ded which is atla higherelevation than the platform 47. An inclined Yboard 50 at 'one side oftherear compartment leads from the platform 49 tothe platform A47 and aninclined board 5l leads from the `other side vof the platform 47 -Vdowntothe lower floor 53 with which the rear compartment is provi-ded.

Between the side beards 42 of the removable box member a chamber 55 isprovided when the box member 'is in place, this Vchamber vcontainer tosaid Wall.

1,870,957 A g y;

moving the box structure which has the bottom 43, a removable roof 8m isprovided for said compartment, said roof being provided along its underface and near the lower edge thereof with a cleat Se which, when theroof is in place, engages the inner side of the upper edge of the backwall of the compartment 8,

thus holdi-ng the roof 8m removabl7 in position. Y r

Describing certain details ofconstruction,

'a roller 65 extends across the cover member 7b being supported near thelower said thereof by by trunnions. This roller is adapted to supportthe lower -en-d ofthe cover or upper roof member 765 in such a mannerthat this lprovided with a stop cleat7a" which engages the ends of thearms 7 f, to limit the sliding movement of said roof member. This.construction prevents the complete removalof the upper roof member 7 abut allows it to be adjusted in .the steeply 'inclined position shown indotted lines in Fig 3 whereit forms v a shade for the rear compartment8.

VThe dooropeningl throughfpart'ition 15 is shown provided with a comb160 located in the upper portionthereof which is adapted to comb the furVof animals passing therethrough. -I claim:

l. In a fhutch, Aa compartment having an upright wall with a feedopening there` through, a feed support-ing platform secured to the outerside of said wall, a container havf ing anY open topY and bottom, saidcontainer normally resting upon said platform to hold feed in placethereon, and -a pivotal lconnection securing the upper "inner corners of2. In a hutch, a vcompartment.*having a 110 said n upright wall with afeed openingthere-V` Y through, a feed supporting platform secured tothe outer side of said Wall in a position `to support feed opposite tosaid'opening, feed bars extending across lsaid opening, -a l'containerconsisting of a stripvof sheet metal having end portions which arepivotallyconnected with said wall, said container having a front portionwhich cooperates with said end portions to keep feed in place upon'saidplatform. 1 i

Y 3. In a hutch, a compartment having a cover member which consists of-aframe hav.; ing four side pieces, and! an open mesh mem ber secured ktoone side of said' frame to'support feed thereon in a'positionforfacces's `by animals within the hutch, and an uppercov'er memberadapted to rest upon the first recited'V cover member and form a root`for the hutch.

4. In a hutch, a compartmentrhaving a roof portion which is movable toaiord access to the compartment, a removable box portion7 said boxportion having side walls which extend below the floor thereof thusproviding a chamber below the box between said side walls thereof.

5. In a hutch,` a compartment having a roof portion which is movable topermit access to the compartment, and a box portion adapted forinsertion within and removal from said compartment, said box portionbeing provided with ay floor and with side walls which extend below saidfloor and are constructed and arranged to provide a chamber below saidoor when the box is located within said compartment, there being at suchtime an opening between said side walls to permit animals to enter andleave said chamber. i

6. In a hutch, a compartment havingside walls, an open mesh frame membernormally extending across the top of said compartment to support feedthereover in a position for access by animals within the hutch, and

y a cover member hingedly and slidably connected with said open meshmember and thus rendered movable toa position wherein said open meshmember is Vuncovered to permit ventilation therethrough.

7. In a hutch, a compartment having side walls7 an open mesh framemember normally extending across the top of saidcompartment to supportfeed thereover in a position for` access byv animals within the hutch, asecond compartment located alongside said first recited compartment, anda cover member hingedly and slidablyconnected with said open mesh memberand thereby rendered movable to a position wherein said open mesh memberis uncovered to permit ventilation therethrough, said roof memberat suchtime forming a sunshade for said second compartment. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto vaffix my signature. Y

LUCIEN 1 MERIAUX.

